At the fragile age of eight, Reagan’s life seemed perfect. But when her beloved father abandoned their tiny family, Reagan was left emotionally scarred.

Now in high school, not much has changed. Reagan still won’t let her guard down. Not even for her long-time friend, Brock Anderson, who has spent years pursuing Reagan, yet never tearing down her walls.

If you push hard enough, eventually you’ll get your way…

By graduation, Brock has finally won over Reagan’s affections. They aren’t a public item, but Brock is content just being hers, even if that means going without the official boyfriend title.

As usual, Reagan’s fears get the better of her, and suspicions of Brock’s commitment creep in. Surviving their relationship’s tension, they make it to college together, where their game of cat and mouse takes a darker twist.

Tragedies come in threes…

But after a tragic car crash that kills her best friend, her mother ships her off to the one person Reagan hates more than herself. Her father.

When she meets her brother she never knew, they immediately become friends. Years pass until one day when she meets one of her brother’s friends…Brock Anderson—and he’s on a mission to win her back.

When Reagan and Brock are reunited, the chemistry is stronger than ever. But when uncertainty threatens their future, will Brock be the safe bet, or will he be the heartache she always feared?

Shealy James is a Georgia native who teaches math by day and writes romance at night. As an avid reader, expert on romantic comedy films, and lover of realistic characters who could be her best friends if only they really existed, Shealy appreciates when humor mixes with drama to guide her imaginary friends to their happy endings. And there must always be a happy ending. Shealy openly eats enough candy to feed a small nation, drinks sweet tea by the gallon, hopes to hit 10,000 steps each day, and lives every day with her amazing daughter.